All Categories - Palos Restoration Project

Cap Sauers September 15, Black Partridge picnic September 16, 2018

9/20/2018

Cap Sauers Moraines Saturday September 15
Though summer weather still lingers, this was a typical fall session in Palos. Two chain saws and a brush-cutter running, honeysuckle and other non-natives tumbling like dominos, and scorching-hot brush piles burns as we cleared an area beyond the ravine where we worked on previous days.

Thanks to Margaret for redirecting me when I headed off in the wrong direction. Otherwise I might still be wandering the wilds of Cap while search parties with headlamps scour the area every night and my picture shows up on milk cartons.

Black Partridge Woods: Annual Palos Picnic 2018
This was another fun day, well- attended despite another toasty-hot afternoon. Thanks to everyone who showed up and brought such a variety of tasty sides and sweets.
Special thanks to grill-master Steve for his help, and to Julie P whose organizational skills are the perfect complement to my own lack of the same.

End-of-season Monarch update
Readers of this page already may know that Julie raised and released several monarchs this year; that's what ensues after you plant milkweed in your garden. The last three flew today and will be sipping margaritas on a beach in Cancun in due time.

One of today's monarchs had a damaged wing; Julie took him to monarch guru Bob Erlich of Evergreen Park, who replaced a portion of the wing and sent him on his way. Damn!

Spears Woods September 8, Hidden Pond September 9, 2018

9/13/2018

Spears Woods Saturday September 8
We did some serious honeysuckle chopping and burning in a brushy thicket adjacent to the prairie at Spears. This day marked the return of Friends of the Forest Preserves Palos crew to our Saturday sessions, including new crew member (and veteran Sundown volunteer) Amber Kunz.

Working fairly close to the parking lot made it a short walk so all our energy was directed to the invaders. Good for us, not so good for them.

Hidden Pond Sunday September 9
We've had two previous workdays where we cut brush and could not burn, so we had large stacks needing disposal. With a great group, including several scouts from Palos Park and the Macchione family, we tackled that mess, dragging and burning with (near) abandon. Getting rid of all that brush on the edge of the prairie will allow the next prescribed burn to come through. Thanks to all for a job well done!

Paddock September 1, McClaughrey Springs and Cap Sauers September 2, 2018

9/5/2018

Paddock Woods Saturday September 1
Rain and soaked fuel made fire-starting a challenge, one which was, eventually, overcome. We worked inside the trail loop, in an area with resprouts subsequent to contract work of a couple years ago. Mostly it was brush-cutter and lopper work and we cleared a substantial area by day's end. Thanks to first-time Palos volunteer Augustyn for his help!

McClaughrey Springs Woods Sunday September 2
Though I missed this one, Bob Erck filled me in on activities. The group cut and burned honeysuckle and buckthorn, with Bob on the chainsaw and Diana running the brushcutter. It was another in a series of warm, humid sessions; a tip of the tattered hat to all the volunteers who participated.

Cap Sauers Holding Sunday September 2
Oh yeah, this one was warm and humid too. Unlike Saturday, today the honeysuckle were mostly bowsaw-size, meaning serious work for arms and shoulders. Bob chose to defer fire until next month, allowing us to get a lot of cutting done even though we were few in numbers.

Good thing about the woodland after a rainy stretch is the proliferation of mushrooms. Today's slideshow is full of fungi pics; anyone who wants to offer ID on them is encouraged to do so. I find the variety of colors and shapes amazing, as anyone who reads this blog already would know.

Paw Paw Woods August 25, 2018

8/30/2018

Paw Paw Woods Saturday August 25
We don't get to Paw Paw too often, always a pleasure when we do. It is one of the oldest nature preserves in Illinois and features wonderful topography, with high bluffs and steep ravines.

On this Saturday it also featured four student-athletes from Oak Lawn Community High School, numerous other volunteers, and the return of brush-cutting, power tools, and brush pile burns to Palos as the fall season kicks off. While some might miss snipping weed heads, most seemed quite content with the day's activities.

On the coming weekend we bring September in with a full slate of activities at Paddock Woods on Saturday, McClaughrey Springs and Cap Sauers Holding on Sunday.

Cap Sauers August 18, Swallow Cliff & Black Partridge August 19, 2018

8/22/2018

Cap Sauers Moraines Saturday August 18
Margaret and crew cut brush in an area she’d been looking at for three years, working the side of a hill rich with natives including oaks and sedges. The small honeysuckle seen when she first scouted the area had since become ‘threateningly large’, so it was great to get in and get them.

New volunteer Evan, who would show up again the following day at Black Partridge, joined regulars Dave, Diana, Joe, Kathy, and co-steward Bob.

Swallow Cliff Sunday August 19
Ginger Rubinstein led this one, getting a second observation for her workday leader certification. Thanks, Ginger, for agreeing to help at Swallow Cliff!

We numbered 15 or 16, collecting seed in the wooded upland area near the South grove. Along the way we spotted some colorful fungi, insects, and a tiny frog, all pictured below. Shout-out to first-timers Denise, Bob, Kent, Kelly, and Ethan.

Black Partridge Sunday August 19
Another super group, including a team of eight from SWCA Environmental Consultants and first-time volunteers Manny and Matt. John split us into two groups, some collecting seed of woodland grasses and others cutting and stacking brush near the old home site. An enjoyable afternoon in the woods of Palos!

Butterfly Mama
After passing several monarch caterpillars to friends, Julie P released her first on Tuesday. Several agonizing hours waiting for her wings to dry, and a stretch where she seemed totally happy on Julie's finger, ended when the baby finally got her wings going and took off!

Ecology Walk August 11, Hidden Pond August 12, 2018

8/15/2018

Cap Sauers Ecology Walk Saturday August 11
Ecologist Kristin Pink led us from Ford Road into the preserve, past Visitation Prairie, to the Cap Sauers esker. We stopped several times, for mini-lessons on local plants and updates on restoration initiatives. It was enjoyable and informative - thank you Kristin for a terrific job.

Thanks also to volunteer stewards Bob Arentz and Margaret Tobin, and to FPCC staff assisting with the walk. A huge thank you to our 'angel' who made a very generous contribution to support our work!

Hidden Pond Woods Sunday August 12
This was an another great day, with 17 volunteers helping cut brush on the northwest edge of the prairie. Too hot to burn - steward Mary Busch will try to get the Conservation Corps in to dispose of the large piles of brush we cut. What started as a small opening quickly expanded thanks to the energy of our group. Hot fun in the summertime!

Willow Springs August 4, Cap Sauers August 5, 2018

8/7/2018

Saturday August 4, Willow Springs Woods
"Off with 'is 'ead!" That's the battle cry when you're after invasive thistles, cutting the flower-head to prevent seed from developing. Our group started near Country Lane Woods, working north toward Katydid Slough. Parts of this area are wetland, though not so much after a July of minimal rain.

Thanks to first-time Palos volunteer Violet for joining us on the hunt!.

Sunday August 5, Cap Sauers Holding
Bob's original plan was to cut brush; another hot afternoon led him to switch to seed collecting. We gathered a goodly amount of bottlebrush grass seed, which will be distributed later in the season.

Caterpillar Days
Ms Julie has a couple milkweeds at home, which, of course, means monarch eggs and caterpillars. Thus far we've only fostered them while finding adoptive parents; in the short time we've had them it's been illuminating to watch their behavior.

While picking dill, in my backyard, I felt one swallowtail caterpillar drop onto my leg. Julie found his buddy on another branch. These two are also guests at the moment.

Spears Woods July 28, 2018

8/2/2018

Saturday July 28, Spears Woods
Can't really say what the main body of volunteers did as Jim and I got separated early on and spent about two hours wandering Spears south of the picnic grove. It seems we covered the same ground as the others, just at a different time.

It was a good walk; highlights included some way-cool fungi (see below) and a larger patch of native jewelweed than any I've encountered.

Our main target was Japanese hedge parsley, a relatively new invasive (our stewards have been talking about it maybe for a couple years) which is popping up all around the area. While Jim and I didn't encounter much, the main group brought back several bags for disposal.

It's prime time for prairie blazing star - the purple spikes are blooming for your enjoyment in most prairie settings now. Sundown Meadow has an embarrassingly large profusion of the blooms, also seen below.

July 25th, 2018

7/25/2018

Cap Sauers Moraines Saturday July 21
Steward Margaret Tobin called this one due to rain; with seven people still showing up at the site we decided a short walk was in order. It was a good one despite numerous mosquitoes. We visited several places where we've worked in the past, including one which Margaret insists 'wants to be prairie' - after clearing, prairie plants previously unseen started popping up.

Margaret, steward Bob Arentz, and FPCC ecologist Kristin Pink will co-host an ecology walk on Saturday, August 11 at 9 am. We will meet at the watchman's house on Ford Road - see our weekly email of August 9 for details.

Swallow Cliff Woods South Sunday July 22
We started with the intent of collecting seed, did a bit of that but spent more time pulling white sweet clover as we toured a portion of the preserve. Summer days are great for learning because we tend to move around and see a lot of plants in a couple hours. Good times in the woods!

Purple Alert!
For fellow lovers of the color purple, both prairie blazing star and ironweed (pictured below) are beginning to bloom. Makes the prairie a prettier place!

Mcmahon July 14, Black Partridge July 15, 2018

7/19/2018

McMahon Woods & Fen July 14
More sweet clover on the prairie at McMahon! Thanks to first-time volunteer Miguel for coming on a tough day, and to Emma who came on a Saturday after spending her week at Ted Stone with the FOTFP crew she joined July 1.

Black Partridge Woods July 15
We had first-time volunteers Ben and Emily (with Emily showing up two days later at Sundown Meadow). Thanks to them, to Rob Abrham of the Palos FOTFP crew for bringing Ben and also taking on herbiciding duty for the day. Others who helped included Ginger, Drew, Steve, and Brian.

Palos Hills Friendship Fest
Maureen Neidle, Doug Chien and I sat at a table Saturday afternoon, trying to spread the word about our activities in the preserves. Margaret Tobin and Carolyn Faber did the same on Sunday. Thanks to all for participating!